Question

the quote is from alfred dohrn, a panama canal worker
the working conditions in those days were so horrible it would stagger your imagination. death was our constant companion... malaria with all its horrible meaning those days was just a household word. i was mosquito... by the thousan
there were days that we could only work a few hours because of high fever racking our bodies...
which describes dohrns experience when constructing the panama canal?
the workers went on strike demanding shorter work days.
the housing provided to construction workers was overcrowded
the conflict between panamanians and the united states turned violent
the construction slowed down because diseases spread and killed workers.

Explanation:

The text mentions that working conditions were horrible, death was a constant companion (due to malaria and high - fever - related issues). This implies that diseases (like malaria) were killing workers, which would slow down construction. There is no mention of workers demanding shorter work days, overcrowded housing, or violent conflict between Panamanians and the US.

Answer:

The construction slowed down because diseases spread and killed workers.